


Kindle

by autisticaizawashouta



Series: Gender is Hard 'verse [11]
Category: Sanders Sides, Thomas Sanders
Genre: Gen, Implied/Referenced Abuse, LGBTQ Characters, Queer Themes, Roman is Gay, Roman is really gay, Sickness Mention, hospital mention, non-binary characters, seizure mention
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-21
Updated: 2018-03-21
Packaged: 2019-04-05 17:07:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,829
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14048880
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/autisticaizawashouta/pseuds/autisticaizawashouta
Summary: Roman and Logan find out what happened with Virgil and Patton. And then, Roman meets a boy.





	Kindle

**Author's Note:**

> This is the Gender is Hard 'verse, and pronouns are as follows: Roman, they/them, Logan, xe/xir, Virgil, they/them, Patton, he/him.

The message came while Roman was practicing a speech for Mr. Travis’s class (although it looked like they might not have to give it if Logan’s mutterings about a student protest bore fruit…). They tossed the notecards onto the counter and picked up their phone. It had been about an hour since Virgil had messaged them, letting them know that they were okay.

It was Patton’s turn to message, apparently.

**_Glasses Gay Old:_ ** _ I just wanted to apologize for not letting you know what was going on. I should’ve talked to you both sooner. _

**_Glasses Gay Young:_ ** _ Yes. You definitely should have. I forgive you, but please don’t let it happen again. _

**_Extra Prince Enby:_ ** _ Yeah, we were worried sick. _

**_Glasses Gay Old:_ ** _ I know, and I’m sorry. _

Roman perched on the counter while they thought about how to reply. Now that Patton and Virgil had both gotten in contact, something constricted in their chest loosened up.

**_Extra Prince Enby:_ ** _ So what happened? V mentioned that they were in the hospital for meningitis. _

**_Glasses Gay Old:_ ** _ Yeah they’re asleep again at the moment. On Monday, they started getting sick. We thought it was just the flu, y’know? _

**_Glasses Gay Young:_ ** _ Even the flu can be serious. _

**_Glasses Gay Old:_ ** _...Yeah. Anyways, they were fine Tuesday morning so I went to work like normal. They texted that they might need me to take them to the dr’s while I was at work, so I went home early and uh _

_ They were really out of it and their fever was really high _

_ I’m sorry, I need a moment _

Roman’s chest tightened. They hadn’t had any experiences like that, but they thought about it- what it might be like to find Christine, or Elliott, or Logan so seriously sick like that. How it would be like to have to be the one to take them to the hospital. Their stomach started doing flips at the thought.

**_Extra Prince Enby:_ ** _ Take all the moments you need! _

**_Glasses Gay Young:_ ** _ Indeed. It must have been incredibly stressful. _

**_Glasses Gay Old:_ ** _ Thanks. You’re both so amazing, you know? I’m really really sorry I didn’t let you know what was going on sooner, you both deserve so much better. _

**_Extra Prince Enby:_ ** _ Stop talking bad about yourself or I will physically fight you _

**_Glasses Gay Old:_ ** _ Don’t steal my line! _

_ Anyways _

_ I took them to the ER and like, they pretty much immediately had them on antibiotics and anti-convulsants and I’m not sure what all _

_ Their fever was really, really high. The highest it got was 106 _

**_Glasses Gay Young:_ ** _ Thankfully it didn’t go any higher. _

**_Glasses Gay Old:_ ** _ Yeah. But…. I was still there, when they had a seizure. It was…. Terrifying. _

**_Extra Prince Enby:_ ** _ Oh my god _

Roman had to set their phone down for a moment and just… breathe. The hardest part about having online friends was never knowing what was happening with them unless they told them. They had no way of checking on their online friends except for through online. They were at the mercy of internet connections and companies and fees…

Roman shoved those thoughts from their mind. They weren’t helpful. They scrubbed at the tears in their eyes with the palm of their hand and picked their phone back up. Patton and Logan had continued conversing in their brief absence, so they would have to catch up.

**_Glasses Gay Old:_ ** _ They were unconscious for a couple days. They woke up last night, and today’s been busy with tests and stuff. They’ve been moved from the ICU though, thankfully. _

**_Glasses Gay Young:_ ** _ Do you know yet if there are any permanent effects? _

**_Glasses Gay Old:_ ** _...Some. There are some. _

**_Glasses Gay Young:_ ** _ I’m sorry. _

**_Glasses Gay Old:_ ** _ Don’t worry! We’ll be okay. We’ll be able to handle this. Although… I’ve been thinking about asking for help with the hospital bills. My family’s willing to help out, and insurance should cover some of it… _

**_Extra Prince Enby:_ ** _ Don’t be afraid to ask for help! There’s a lot of people on tumblr who love you and Virgil and would be willing to help! _

**_Glasses Gay Old:_ ** _ Thank you. We’ll see how much we can cover on our own first, though. _

**_Extra Prince Enby:_ ** _ Good luck! _

Roman moved from the bathroom to their room, making sure to take all their things with them. Their phone was still getting notifications from Discord: Logan and Patton were still chatting, conversation having moved on to less-serious things, like parents. At least, Logan and Patton’s parents.

Roman’s parents were on another business trip. At least they weren’t having relationship issues, but… It would be nice sometime if they seemed to remember they had a kid.

They covered their eyes with their hands. They needed to do something, to get their mind off everything. While they considering going and getting something to eat, wandering through an empty house probably wouldn’t help.

Logan and Patton were still chatting on Discord, although from the notifications, Patton was getting ready to sign off for the night. Roman should probably consider going to bed as well, eventually.

Although, maybe going to bed early would be a good thing.

 

Logan’s text woke them up the next morning. The light of their phone beamed into their squinted eyes like a thousand burning white suns while they read it.

“Yes the performing arts kids are probably all down to protest school but not at five thirty in the morning on a Saturday, ya numpty,” Roman muttered. Despite that, they sent a quick text to Christine that went something along the lines of “you know the rumors of the class that walked out of travis well that was Logan’s class and xe wants to know if you want to protest school”.

Christine’s reply was almost instantaneous.

_ Christine R., 05:38 _

_ HELL YES _

_ Lemme in on this protest stuff _

_ Wait you say it was Logan’s class? Go Logan _

Roman huffed and rolled their eyes, a fond half-smile on their lips. They texted Logan to know that Christine was completely on board and that most anyone in the performing arts at their school would be aware and most likely on board by the end of the day.

It wasn’t even six AM yet, but Roman was already awake and so they dragged themself out of bed and headed towards the kitchen, blanket wrapped around their shoulders and dragging along the floor behind them like a royal cape. Their phone was held in their other hand, and they kept texting Christine as they went.

It wasn’t quite dawn yet, especially considering it was Daylight Saving Time, but they knew their kitchen and could navigate it in the dark. Instead, though, they flipped the lights on- they didn’t want to accidentally pour too much milk in their cereal and have it overflow and need to clean it up again.

Cereal retrieved, they retreated back to their room. While they were eating, Christine asked if they wanted to hang out with her, Elliott, and her cousin, who attended a different high school.

_ Roman P., 05:53 _

_ Sure! _

 

_ Christine R., 05:53 _

_ Does picking you up at 8 work? _

 

Roman paused to think for a moment, and then sent her an affirmative. They would definitely be ready to go by then, considering they’d have two hours to get ready.

And, when Christine showed up around eight AM, they were ready. Scarf on, jacket on, makeup flawless and their favorite earrings in, they walked outside and got into the backseat of Christine’s black Honda. Some guy Roman didn’t know was in the backseat- presumably Christine’s cousin.

“Hey Roman! That’s my cousin, Calisto. Calisto, that’s my friend Roman,” Christine said.

“Hi,” Calisto said, giving Roman a small smile. He was wearing subtle makeup and was, in Roman’s opinion, one of the prettiest boys they had ever laid eyes on. Big brown eyes, soft lips, warm brown skin with a dusting of freckles… Roman was crushing, and hard.

“Hello,” Roman replied, flashing Calisto one of their best smiles. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Likewise,” Calisto agreed, smiling back.

In the front seat, Christine and Elliott turned to look at each other.

“Oh my god,” Christine mouthed.

“Here we go again,” Elliott mouthed back.

“They’re flirting with my cousin,” Christine mouthed.

Elliott sighed, and settled in for a long day.

 

The four teenagers were walking on the bike path, coffees in hand. Clouds were gathering overhead, but that didn’t drive off any of them.

“And then- get this- he told her that he was only dating her to try to get closer to her  _ brother _ so he could date him.”

Roman gasped. They were watching Calisto, the way his hands moved as he talked, absorbing the sound of his voice and the cadence of his speech.

“No way,” they replied, and Calisto nodded.

“Yes way. She turned around and left, and her brother slapped him. She started some nasty rumor about him next week, too, although I can’t really remember what it was at the moment.”

“Oh, that’s not nice but it sounds like he deserved it. Using a girl as a tool to romance someone else? Unforgivable,” Roman replied.

Calisto laughed, and their heart fluttered. “Yeah. I’m glad that by that point, he was my ex.”

“Oh? You like boys?” Roman asked, tilting their head. A few paces behind them, Elliott put their hand on Christine’s arm when she bristled.

“Well, not exclusively,” Calisto said, shrugging and fidgeting with the hem of his jacket. “You could consider me bisexual, although I don’t like to put a label on my feelings. What about you?”

Roman paused to think for a second. “Well, I am non-binary, so I use the term quadrisian for my attraction. Are you familiar with it?”

Calisto looked at them. They took note of how the wire-frame glasses he wore brought out his eyes. “No, I’m not. Could you explain it?”

“Well, it means I’m non-binary and attracted to men,” Roman replied. “I am exclusively quadrisian.”

“So basically gay?” Calisto asked, nibbling at his lower lip.

“Well, I guess, except I’m not a man,” Roman replied.

“Oh, yeah, no, totally, I understand that,” Calisto scrambled to cover for his mistake, and Roman shrugged.

“I get it, no offense taken.”

Calisto sighed with relief. “Oh, thank goodness, I thought I had completely screwed up there for a moment.”

“Oh, no!” Roman said, shaking their head. “You’re completely good. You’re not the first one to make that leap, and almost certainly not the last.”

Calisto laughed, soft and warm. “Okay. Quadrisian. Not gay. Got it.”

“Well…” Roman said, making an exaggerated thinking face. “Gay is okay. Rainbows are good. I can be gay, too.”

“Oh! Well, here’s to a gay old day!” Calisto said. Roman laughed.

“That sounds like something my friend Patton would say.”

Several paces behind them, Elliott patted Christine on the shoulder as she glared daggers at her cousin and Roman.

**Author's Note:**

> i hope you enjoyed it! i hope you like Calisto, i get the feeling he'll be around for a while...  
> also, have a Roman-centric installment for Name Day! Woot!  
> if you enjoyed, please leave a kudos! and if you feel up to it, leave me a comment! i love the chat with the people who read my stories <3  
> take care!  
> with love,  
> Kestrel  
> (also this installment puts the GIHV over 20k words so yay)  
> (also there's an askblog for the GIHV: @gender-is-hard-asks on tumblr.)


End file.
